In other words, you should be using your child as fodder for his battle. Hmmm... That would certainly explain all of those private school students who's parents are public school teachers!
Just because someone is an amature does not mean they are not the best.
Custom car amatures make autos superior to any professional.
The NEA should be welcome this because this means more space and monies directed to the students. OOOPS I forgot the NEA has nothing to do with teaching students.
Education is the only profession, soi dissant profession might be more accurate, wherein amateurs regularly outperform degreed and gooberment approved "professionals".
Imagine what engineers would be paid if amateurs regularly did better design work than engineers. What would we pay a physician if home based, self taught non-physicians could regularly and reliably do better diagnostic work?
Just wondering.
What BS.
He assumes that any flunky with an education degree has any idea how to teach someone something.
ROFL! I guess it doesn't count if you're an expert in your own kid and what his or her learning style is. I can guarantee you, at least one of my children would slip through the cracks in a regular school setting. Either that or this child would be labeled and pigeon-holed. No thanks!
Whether it is window-washing, bricklaying or designing a space station.
Nice sentence structure there, Mr. Expert!
For example, if the child is severely handicapped and cannot be transported safely to a school, or is bedridden with a serious disease, or lives in such a remote area that attending a public school is near impossible.
Again, your prowess with proper sentence structure is, well, amazing!
Several organizations have popped up on the Web to serve these wannabe teachers.
Wannabe? And you're an expert in the usage of the English language, I suppose? The TRUTH is, all parents are homeschoolers. They teach their children more in the first 5 years of their lives than a teacher in a school will EVER be able to teach them. Some of us just choose to continue that education at home into what "experts" call "regular school subjects." But ALL parents continue to homeschool. That's what happens when you help your kids with homework.
Children should have the opportunity to interact with others their own age.
Of course this idiot is overlooking the fact that MOST people who homeschool have more than one child and are very involved with church or other homeschool groups.
But I can’t teach them how to be a teammate when they have never been part of any team.
Yep, you just want all the kids to think inside the box. Independent thinkers sort of screw up your plans for world domination, don't they Mr. Expert?
It’s obvious to me that these organizations are in it for the money.
And just what do you think school teachers are "in it for," Mr. Expert? I'm just curious. If those teachers aren't in it for money or benefits, why do they have a penchant for going on strike at the start of the school year?
I’m certainly not opposed to religious schools, or to anyone standing up for what they believe in.
Another GREAT example of your expertise in education? Ever heard that rule about ending sentences in prepositions? Hmmm....?
Don’t most parents have a tough enough job teaching their children social, disciplinary and behavioral skills?
Especially when they first have to undo the improper items learned at the feet of such "experts" as you!
They would be wise to help their children and themselves by leaving the responsibility of teaching math, science, art, writing, history, geography and other subjects to those who are knowledgeable, trained and motivated to do the best job possible.
Yeah, ok, whatever... better not lose that janitorial day job.
Personally, I believe that this one who sounds off on homeschoolers is projecting his own inadequacies to that group. I would not take it upon myself to tell another person -- even a janitor -- how I felt he should educate his children. Nor do I appreciate someone else telling me how to educate mine.
Home schooling ping! Take on the NEA propaganda!
Trained professionals? Spare me.
The majority of teachers come from the bottom sector of college classes. They never had a passion for learning, and their experience in colleges of education is unlikely to instill that passion. They spend years in stupid pedagogy classes, often ending up with sketchy knowledge of the topics they are supposed to be teaching.
A well meaning amateur with a good curriculum could meet or exceed the performance of these supposed "professionals" a good deal of the time, I would imagine.
Furthermore, some of these "professionals" have an agenda, personal or political, and they choose public education because it gives them access to kids.
Combine that with the latest fads in education, such as mainstreaming everybody, and forbidding grouping of children by ability. This form of educational socialism holds back and penalizes the capable student, as teachers, more and more, teach to the lowest common denominator.
Furthermore, though teachers like to call themselves "professionals" when it suits their purposes, they don't behave like professionals when it comes to bargaining for salary and benefits. They behave just like any blue collar working seeking more money for less work.
Well meaning amateurs with a real interest in the well-being of the child, or mediocre "professionals" with an agenda? Not a hard choice to make.
Pathetic. Pathetic. Pathetic.
Let me repeat: Pathetic.
These arrogant educators are so transparently self-serving. Pathetic.
Let it go, meandog.
Have you seen this? Talking about a target rich environment here!
Our NEA is doing such a bang up job, that across the country, we now have Sylvan Learning Centers, to teach your child what the schools should have been teaching them, we have Mathnastics, and several others. If our schools were doing such a wonderful job of edu-ma-cation, why-oh-why has the market for such places opened up?
>>>>“What about socialization? Forget about it!”
This man is probably the best a university school of education could produce. What a shame.
As a former homeschool parent who is now a customer of the local public school system, I have gained a respect for teachers that I never had before.
That said, I think that Mr. Arnold was paid by the local NEA Chapter for his remarks.
I suppose if you get right down to it, all parents are "well meaning amateurs". There are no colleges to attend or unions to hide behind when it comes to parenting - it is an adventure that unfolds daily.
Better a "well meaning amateur" than an "educated idiot" is what I say.
GSD
Most people missed the key part of the article which is the attribution at the very end:
"Dave Arnold, a member of the Illinois Education Association, is head custodian at Brownstown Elementary School in Southern Illinois.)
The guy is the frickin' janitor of the school! Oh... beg pardon - the HEAD frickin' janitor of the school! LOL! This is who is telling us who is best suited to educate America's youth?! Oh yeah, so they can grow up to have a wonderful career like Dave here, in the area of custodial management.
Teaching is easy compared to parenting. Parenting ought to be left soley to experienced professionals.
*Yep. The Parents ate the most qualified to teach their own children in their own home.
There’s nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task.
*Yep. That is why using Prostitutes is the best way to learn about love